The Crest was a

gothic metal Gothic metal (or goth metal) is a fusion genre combining the aggression of heavy metal with the dark atmospheres of gothic rock. The music of gothic metal is diverse with bands known to adopt the gothic approach to different styles of heavy met ...

/ darkwave band from

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...

noted for their gothic metal with catchy melodies, massive guitar sound, and a soothing female voice. The band was formed in 1996 by Nell and Kristian Sigland. After going through changes in name and line-up, the band settled on the name "The Crest" in 1999, after recording their second demo when they started to develop their characteristic sound. In 2001, The Crest recorded their first full album, '' Letters from Fire'', in Sound Suite Studio, together with Terje Refsnes, the producer of Tristania,

Carpathian Forest Carpathian Forest is a Norwegian black metal band formed by Nattefrost and Nordavind in 1992. History In late 1990, the band originally started under the name Enthrone by Nattefrost (then bearing the pseudonym Lord Nosferatu) and Nordavind ...

, and The Sins of Thy Beloved. In 2003 the band took a sabbatical to regain energy for their next album. Nell and Kristian spent time on a side project named "Rustflower Incorporated", experimenting with electronic music. Also in 2006, Nell replaced

Liv Kristine Liv Kristine Espenæs (born 14 February 1976) is a Norwegian singer who has performed and composed songs mostly for various subgenres of heavy metal music. She started her career in the music industry as a vocalist for the gothic metal band Thea ...

Theatre of Tragedy Theatre of Tragedy was a Norwegian band from Stavanger, active between 1993 and 2010. They are best known for their earlier albums, which influenced the gothic metal genre. History Formation (1993) Theatre of Tragedy was founded on 2 October 19 ...

's vocalist. The Crest reunited in 2004 and recorded their second album, '' Vain City Chronicles'', at the Top Room Studio in Norway. The album features, according to the band, "a heavier, more guitar-based side of the band, while still focusing on the characteristic melancholic melodies and of course Nell's soothing voice." In October 2010, Nell and Kristian stated that The Crest has split up to enable other projects.

Band members

;Last Known Lineup *

Nell Sigland Ragnhild Westgaard "Nell" Sigland (born 13 November 1976) is a Norwegian singer from Hamar, best known as the lead vocalist of Norwegian gothic metal band Theatre of Tragedy from 2004 to 2010. She was also the lead singer for Norwegian gothic ro ...

- vocals, keyboards (also member of

) * Kristian Sigland - guitars, vocals, keyboards, programming * Magnus Westgaard - bass, vocals * Stian Kilde Aarebrot - guitars * Klaus Blomvik - drums ;Former * David Husvik - drums (1996–2001) * Xander Sevon - drums (2002–2004)

Discography

Studio albums

* '' Letters from Fire'' (2002) * '' Vain City Chronicles'' (2005)

Demos

Most of these demos ended up on the band's first release ''Letters from Fire''. * "Straightjacket Singalongs" – Demo (1998) * "Childhood's End"/"Thorn" (1999) * "Thunderfuel" (1999) * "Dark Rock Armada" (2000)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Crest (Band) Norwegian gothic metal musical groups Norwegian dark wave musical groups Musical groups established in 1996 1996 establishments in Norway Musical groups disestablished in 2010 2010 disestablishments in Norway Musical quintets Musical groups from Oslo Season of Mist artists